Planter



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. TYDEN.

PLANTE'R.

(No Model.)

Patented July 3, v18887.

. m .,M, Y l ,u

I mmunil (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. TYDEN.

PLANTER. I No. 385,583. Patented July 3, 1888.

(No Model.) 3 Smets-sheet s.

HTYDENQ PLANTBR.

No. 385,583. Patented July 3, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT EMIDTYDEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,583, dated July 3,1888.

Application filed Dember 9, ISS?. Serial No.257,1l56.

T all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that l, EMU. TYDEN, a subject ofthe King of Sweden, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Planters, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates particularly to the dropping mechanism ofeoruplanters; and it consists, lirst, in improved means whereby seed isdropped at every reeiprocation of the actu atingbar; second, means forregulating con veniently the number of grains dropped into each hill ata reciprocation; third, means for expanding the walls of the seed-cup atthe moment of the dropping of the seed, so as to effectually free it andprevent the cup passing on with the grain choked therein; fourth,iniproved drop-valve mechanism having reliable action. t

Minor improvements will be mentioned aS they occur hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of thecomplete dropping mechanism of a corn-planter which embodies myinvention, taken 0n line au of Fig. 4c. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with thepawlcarrying frame at the reverse end of its stroke. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section of the same meeh anism, laken on line o e ofFig. l. Fig. 4 isa plan view of the top plate at the bottom of thegrain-hopper, the hopper being shown in dotted outline and the graincut-olil in position. Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe dropper-disk and thepawl-carrying frame, the top plate and the cutoff being removed. Fig. (3is a detail plan view of the cut-off slide-valve, which operates belowthe dropper-disk. Fig. 7 is a transverse section ot' the chamberedcylinder and the cone-spindle, taken on line w w of Fig. l. Fig. 8 is asection on line z z of Fig. 5, showing the pawl actuating thedropper-disk and its relation to the lugs thereof. Fig. 9 is a plan viewof the dropper-disk with the ca` pacity-regulati1ig blocks of four ofthe cups removed. Fig. l() is a sectional view of the dropper-disk,taken on'lineg/ yof Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of anadjustment-block. Fig. l2 is a detail view ot' the conespindleregulating the posit-ion ofthe ad justment-blocks.

(No model.)

Like letters indicate similar parts thrcughout the several views.

rl`he improvements herein described are intended particularly for use oncorn-planters having two hoppers, each prov ided with a dropperdiskhaving an intermittingly-rotative inotion and actuated by pawls pivotedto a reciprocating bar or to a frame attached thereto, one at each endthereof.

It has been deemed unnecessary in the drawings to Show more than the onehopper and its simple dropping mechanism,sinee the parts are equallyapplicable to a planter having but one hopper.

In the various figures, A indicates a grainhopper of the usual form.

B indicates the top plate, and C the bottoni plate, of the falsebottoni, within which the dropper-disk D rotates. Y

E is a double cut-off having the customary chisels--one in eachcompartmeuty-to clear off the surplus grain from the seed-cups.

F is the seedstube through which the grain is dropped to earth.

The mechanism will now be described by which the number of grains ofseed dropped into a hill can be conveniently regulated and by which theseedcup is enlarged at the movement of the dropping of the grain,whereby the charge contained therein is freely dis charged, thuspreventing the clogging to which seedcups having fixed walls are liable.The disk D is provided with the enlarged cup-apertures d d, placed inthe usual manner about the center. I have shown twelve such cups. Thecenter of the disk is ehambered, leaving a narrow wall, d', between thecups and the chamber. Downwardly into each of the seedcups projects fromthe adj ustment-bloek D a lug, d, preferablyhaving a concave face. Thislug in size is equal to the reet-angular section of the seed-eup d, inwhich it is adapted to form a movable end wall, capable of adjustA mentinwardly or outwardly to increase or decrease the capacity of the cup,as may be desired. The dividing-wall d' of the disk D is cut down sufliciently between the central cham ber, di, and the cup-apertures d dto allow the body of the adjoining block D' to lie within the recessthus formed, with its surface flush with the face of the disk, thusobtaining an IOO unobstructed path for the cut-off chisels to operate inand providing a slideway for the blocks to move on. The bodies of theseveral adj ustmcnt-blocks are tapered to a common center to allow themto lie within the space allotted them in the chamber of the disk. Thetapered end is provided with a downwardlyprojecting lug, d, having aconcave saddle, in -which is seated an endless spiral spring or otherretractile element common to all, by which the adjusting blocks aredrawn inwardly, the whole lying within and acting in the chamber d. Thecone-spindle D is journaled at its lower end in the extended hub of thedropper-disk, which is chambered to allow of the limited downwardlongitudinal movement of the cone-enlargement d. At the upper end thecone-spindle is supported in the hub of the cover-plate D4, which islikewise ehambered to permit of the motion of the cone d4. Thiscover-plate is also provided with splineways equal in number to thenumber of the adj listing-blocks. These blocks have correspondingsplines on their surface, which fit intothe splineways of thecover-plate, maintaining the adjustment-blocks in their proper path andpreventing their interference one with the other. The cover-plateserves, also, to protect the interior from dust or other extraneoussubstances.

If it now be desired to reduce the number of grains of seed dropped intoeach hill, the capacity of each of the seed-cups may, obviously, bedecreased simultaneously and equally by Vforcing the cone downward, andthereby the adj listing-blocks D D outwardly, the lugs d2, forming theend walls of the seedcups, moving inwardly, diminishing the capacity ofthe cups in exact proportion rto the amount of depression given thecone-spindle. If, on the other hand, it be desired to increase thenumber of grains of seed dropped into each hill, it may be accomplishedby raising the cone-spindle, the adjusting-blocks being retractedinwardly by the spring D2 and the capacities of the seed-cupscorrespondingly increased. The amount of grain to a charge, it will thusbe seen, maybe determined to exactness.

The mechanism by which the adjustment of the cone-spindle is madeisshown most clearly in Fig. 1.A

The frame of the cut-off E is rigidly secured to the top plate, B, atthe bottom of the hopper by suitablelugS. It extends at the center inline with the axis of the dropper-disk upwardly in the form of aehambered-cylinder. Within this chambered cylinder the spindle Dlhasalimited longitudinal motion. Aspiral spring, d, is coiled upon thespindle and maintains it in an upward position by its opposing actionexerted between a washer resting upon the cover-plate D4 and a fixed capat the end of the spindle. The use of this washer is simply to reducefriction between the xed and moving parts and to prevent dust enteringthe spring-chamber and clogging the motion of the spring. The upper endof the cylinder of the eut-off E is threaded and fitted to receive ascrew-bolt, E', having a suitable hand-wheel, e, by which it can berotated.

A jam-nut wheel, e, is arranged to coact with the end of the cut-offcylinder and fix the screw-bolt E in any set position.

Itis obvious that by themanipulation of the screw E upwardly ordownwardly the conespindle will be given a corresponding motion and theadj listing-blocks moved inwardly and outwardly, thereby adjusting withfacility the capacity of the seed-cups. The cap d5 of the cone-spindleD5 is notched with one or more splineways, which engage with splines projccting from the inner wall of the cylinderchamber, in which it islocated. The cone d* is thus prevented from rotation, for reasons whichwill appear hereinafter. The enlargement d* of the spindle D"i hasyheretofore been considered as if it were a perfect cone. If it weresuch,the universal adjustment only of the blocks D D would be attained.It is desired, however, further, to open the cup or cups slightlyat themoment of thcirarriving at the dropper-ports to release with certaintythe grain confined therein and secure its dropping. To accomplishthis,itis necessary to withdraw the adj ustmcnt-blocks of theseparticular cups without altering the position of the other blocks. To dothis, the conc d' is altered to a conical cam, a section ofwhich isshown in Fig. 9 and an elevation in Fig. 12. The surface of the cone ismaintained intact,with the exception of those elements ofthe cone immediately opposite the ports, of which two have been shown, here usedfor reasons which will be made plain in the following. In case seed isdropped from but one cup and through, but one port, it will be necessaryto provide but one offset to the conc.

The operation ofthe mechanism described in the foregoing is as follows,to summarize: The hopper Aissupplied with seed-corn. The number ofgrains to be dropped into a hill is determined by the adjustment ofthescrew E. Motion is given the reciprocating bar G by the forward movementof the planter,and in turn communicated through the frame Gand thepawlG2to the dropperdisk D. This is rotated, carrying with it theadjustment-blocks forming a part thereof, the cone-cam d" being held atrest, as previouslydeseribed. Theinner endsofthe adjustment-blocks Dbeing maintainethby virtue of the retraetile spring D",in Contact withthe periphery of the cam, the uniform size of the seed-cups is thusmaintained while they are passing through the open grain and below thecut-off chisels, a uniform quantity of grain being thus collected ineach cup. Upon passing beneath the cut-off E the end of eachadjustment-block in turn descends into the groove di of the periphery ofthe cone d4, being drawn therein by the spring D2. The grain in the cupis loosened by the withdrawal of the lug d2 and falls into the seed-tubebelow.

Heretofore, so far as to me known, there has ICO IIC

been made no horizontallyrotating drcpperdisk having seed-cupsadjustable in size, the adjustment beingvuniversal and simultaneous, andmade from a point above the surface of the grain within the hopper; norhas there ever been constructed a horizontally-rotating dropper-diskhaving a cup Which enlarges at the moment of dropping its charge.

It has been necessary in planters using a horizontallyrotatingdropper-disk when in the field and a change of feed was Wanted to allowthe corn already in the hopper to run out, or else empty the hopper byhand, in order to replace the disk by one having the proper capacity,since the disks are at the bottom beneath the grain. This has been veryunsatisfactory, causing Waste of time, and rather than suffer theinconveniences changes have frequently been left unmade which wereadvisable.

By the mechanism herein described the adjustingwheel is at thc surfaceofthe contents of the hopper and regulation to the nicety of a singleseed of corn can be obtained in a monient. If found desirable, an indexcan be readily adapted to the regulating-screw, by which the amount offeed may be accurately indicated. The loss and breakage of changedisksis also avoided. It not infrequently happens that in disks having fixedcups a cup becomes clogged by the grain being jammed together by theeut-off chisel, and the disk in its continued rotation regularly failsto drop the seed as the clogged cup registers with the droppinglport-,and an irregular planting is the result.

The mechanism by which the adjustment of the blocks D/ D is made, aswell as the shape of the blocks themselves, and means for theirretraction may be variously moditiedMas, for instance, eachadjustment-block may have its individual spring for ret-ractilepurposes; the spring d may be dispensed with and the conespndle I)nproduced and threaded to be operated by the present j am-wheel e',arranged to rotate and maintain its seat on the chamhered cylinder oftheframe ofthe cut-off E.

Attention will new be called te the peculiarities of the teeth or lugs Dof the disk D, on which the pawl G2 operates, by which slipping andconsequent wear are prevented and more reliable action of the pawi issecured. These lugs D5 are constructed with a semicylind rical face. Thepawl centering upon this face maintains itself in a straight line withits thrust. No side strain is produced by angling faces, looser fittingis practicable, and the wear is much reduced. In its returnstroke thepawl mounts the opposite lug or tooth upon a similar semicylindricalface, made on an incline, however, to facilitate its motion. Thetendency is for it to maintain its proper path and be guided to itsposition behind the nexttooth, owing to the curvature of the path overwhich it travels.

It has been found in practice that a very smooth and reliable pawlmovement is obtained by this combination of parts. The

mechanism by which a charge of grain may be dropped at everyreciprocation of the bar G may now be described. The object in View isto avoid eXtra wear of the various parts and to secure better service bydecreasing theA speed at which the parts must travel, ifa charge weredropped at every alternate reci proeation of the bar G, or by the usualdisk actuating mechanism, which consists of two pawls placed on oppositesides of the frame G', one a pushing and the other a pulling pawl,acting at alternate reeiprocations of the bar G. It has been found,further, that owing to the limited grippingsurface possible to givethese Apawls on the lugs of the dropperdisk, because of the compactnessof all parts necessary in this class of machinery', that on the surfacesof the pulling-pawl and dropperdisk lug which come into contact the Wearis material, oblique rounded faces :are soon formed, allowing the pawlto slip cli' of the face of the lug, and a failure to drop the charge isthe result. Y A pushing-paivl is not liable to this objection forobviousI reasons, being practically indestructible, and consequentlyreliable.

In the usual form of dropper-disks grain is dropped from one seedcup ata reciprocation of the bar G. In the construction shown, em bodying theprinciples of my invention, two opposite seed-cups are made to registerwith corresponding parts in the bottom plate, C, and to drop theircharges simultaneously. The grain in cup d'2", as shown in Fig. l, dropsfreely into the Aseedtube F and down to the top ofthe valve, H, where itlies until by the reciprocation of the bar G, which carries the lug g,located in a slot, t', the supplemental cutoff slide valve I, sliding inguides beneath the parts of the bottom plate, C, the valve I-I isdropped from its normal position in which it is held in opposition tothespringJ',tl1rough the lever, J, pivoted at j', by the lug t" of thecam I', situated on and moving with the cutoff valve I. It will besupposed that the disk D has been rotated into position shown in Fig. I,with its charged seed-cups di and d so registering. The valve I does notreciprocate as a part of or with the bar G, but owing to the comparativelength ofthe slot/L' and the lug g the bar G has completed aboutonehall' of its reciprocation before it comes into me tion. The cam Iisof such contour as to operate the lever J, through the friction rollersj,

IKO

with rapidity, when the valve I is finally moved in completion of areciprocation of the bar G.

The corn lyingl on the top ofthe valve H and against the valve-slot f ofthe seed-tube F is precipitated into the lower chamber, F, of the tube,where it is met by the descending valve H, which enters the lowervalve-seat, f, as shown in dotted lines, and is there held in re straintuntil the roller j rises on the lug i?, when it is dropped instantly toearth, and the valve II is returned to its normal upper position. In themeanwhile the contents et' the cup (13,which have fallen to the bottomof the aperture t* of the slide I and rests on the upper surface,f, ofthe seed-tube which forms this bottom, is carried forward by the slide Ioff of its bottomf, on which it rested, and drops to the top of thevalve H, arriving at that point the instant after it has reached itsnormal position, after dropping the charge of seed from the cup d20 toearth. The bar G now makes its return reciprocation, carrying with it ona frame connected thereto the pawl G2. This operates to carry thedropper-disk one cup forward to repeat the operation described in theforegoing. As before, the lever J is operated by the cam I, and thecharge from the cup di first descends into the lower chamber, F, of theseed-tube F and is then dropped to earth in a similar manner to thedropping of the charge of cup d20, all the parts being so proportionedthat the time of dropping of each charge is accurately determinedrelative to each other. The object of this double-seated valve is tosecure increased accuracy. The upper valve serves to collect all thegrain dropped from the seed-cups above in the long interval at which thevalve H rests in its normal u p position. Having so collected a charge,it is dropped instantaneously into the lower chamber, there having beenno chance in the interval elapsed for this charge to mix with the nextsucceeding charge, or for seed from the cups to fall direct to earth, bythe valve H remaining open owing to any accident, to which droppingmechanism is liable, since it is impossible for seed to reach the earthexcept when the valve is performing its regular movements. Many otherforms of dropper-valves may be substituted for this double-seated valveH to work in conjunction with the cutoff valve I with equally goodresults, the feature of this part ot' my invention being the droppingofthe contents of the seed-cups d2U and di at alternate reciprocationsofthe bar G while the dropper-disk is at rest.

I have described this valve as operated by a cam movement. It is obviousthat it can be operated in many ways. Itis deemed unnecessary todescribe others.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a dropper-disk, seed-cups, each pro vided with a movable wall, iucombination with a cone or cam common to all, by which the blocks may beadjusted inwardly or outwardly, as specified.

2. In a dropper-disk, a seed-cup having one or more of its Wallsmovable, in combination with means of adjustment extending to a pointabove or without the body of seed within the hopper, whereby thecapacity ofthe cup may be varied without removing the grain from thehopper.

3. In a dropper-disk, seed-cups, each provided with a movable wall, incombination with means of adjustment extending to a point above orwithout the body of seed within the hopper, whereby the capacity of thecup may be varied without removing the grain from the hopper.

4. A dropper-disk having seedcups, each provided with a movable blockwhich forms the inner end wall thereof, in combination with means ofadjustment extending to a point above or without the body of grainwithin the hopper, whereby the capacity of the cup may be varied withoutremoving the grain therefrom, as specified.

5. A dropper-disk having seed-cups, each cup provided with a movableblock which forms one of the walls thereof, and means for the retractionof the blocks toward a common center, in combination with a cone capableof longitudinal axial motion, whereby the blocks may be adjustedinwardly or outwardly, for the purpose specified.

6. In a dropper-disk having seed-cups, the movable blocks forming eachrespectively one of the walls of a cup, in combination with a cam aboutor within which the dropper-disk revolves, the cambeing adapted towithdraw the block and enlarge the seed cup, thereby freeing 'the graintherein, as specified.

7. A dropper-disk having enlarged seedcups, each cup being provided withan adjustmentblock, which forms the inner cud wall thereof, each ofthesaid blocks having downwardly-projecting lugs, in combination with aretracting-spring or other resilient element embracing all ot' the saidlugs, whereby the adjustment-blocks are drawn toward the common center,substantially as shown.

8. A dropper-disk having the cups d (l, a chambeadi, and the lowereddivision-wall d', and the cover-plate D1, rigidly secured to the diskand provided with splineways, in combination with the adj usting-blocksD D, having a downwardly-projecting lug, d, in which lies theretracting-spring D, all in combination, substantially as specified.

9. A dropper-disk having the seed cups d d, the adjustment-blocks D' D',and the retractingspring D2, in combination with the cone (Z, wherebythe blocks D' D may be adj usted outwardly and inwardly, substantiallyas speci fied.

10. A dropper-disk having the seedcups d d d, the adjustmentblocks D D',the spring D2, all substantially as described, in combination with thespindle D3, carrying the cone di, the spring d, by which the cone ismaintained in its highest position, and the adj listing-screw Il', bywhich the position of the cone-spindle is regulated, and thereby theposition of the adjustment-blocks in the seedcups, substantially asspecified.

1l. A dropperdisk having seedecups, each provided with an adjustment-block, which forms the inner wall thereof, the said blocks beingretracted toward the common center against a cam, as that upon rotationof the dropper-disk about the cam the adjustment blocks of the seed-cupswhich register with IOC IIO

the dropping-ports are withdrawn, enlarging the said cup, and therebyfreeing the grain therein, substantially as shown.

12. In a dropperdisk, the cups d d d, the adjustmentblocks DD'D', theretractingspring D2, in combination with a conical cam, d", upon aspindle, D, having a longitudinal motion but non-rotary, whereby theadjustmentblocks D' D D may be accurately adjusted inwardly andoutwardly, and thus the capacity of the seed-cups determined,and wherebythe adjustinentblocks of the seedcups registering with the dropping-portmay be slightly withdrawn and the grain therein freed, substantiall y asdescribed.

13. An intermittingly rotating dropperdisk actuated by a pawl having thelugs D5, with face of semi-cylindrical contour, to prevent slippage ofthe pawl, substantially as described. if

14. An interniittingly rotating dropperdisk actuated by a pawl andhaving the lugs D5, with face of semicylindrical contour,to preventslippage of the pawl, substantially as described, the opposite face ofthe lug being of similar semi cylindrical contour, inclined, however, sothat the pawl may ascend it upon the return reciprocation of the frameG', the contour of the lug being such that the pawl will maintain itsproper path with accuracy and be guided into position for furtheraction, substantially as specified.

15. An intermittingly rotating dropperdisk actuated by apawl carried ona reciprocating frame or bar, which acts at every alternate stroke toproduce a partial rotation of the disk D, the said disk being at restduring the return reciprocation of the frame,in combination with acut-off valve,I,having an aperture, t", having a xed surface, the returnreciprocation of the frame acting to carry the cut-pff valve Iforward,and with it the charge of grain in the aperture I", off from thefixed bottom and drop it to the seed-tube below, substantially asspecified.

1G. An intermittingly rotating dropperdisk actuated by a pawl carried ona reciprocating bar,which acts at every alternate stroke to produce apartial rotation of the disk, the said disk being at rest during thereturn reciprocation of the frame, the said frame having adownwardly-projecting lug, g, in combination with a cut-off valve, I,having an aperture, ff, bottomed on a fixed surface, and a slot, t, inwhich the lug g engages, the slot t' being of such length that thevalveI does net come into operation until the close of the reciprocatlon ofthe frame G', when it is carried forward, and with it the charge ofgrain in the aperture it, and the `grain upon being carried off from thefixed bottom drops to the bottom of the seed-tube, substantially asdescribed.

17. A dropper-disk, D, an actuatingframe, G', a pawl, G2, anda cut-offvalve, I, carrying the cam I', and actuated by the reciprocating frame Gor bar G, in combination with the lever J, the drop-valve II, and theseed-tube- F, provided with the valve-seat projections j and f' and thechamber F', all for the purpose and substantially as described.

18. In a cornplanter, the combination of suitable mechanism, which dropscharges of grain at regular intervals into the seed-tube, with the valveH, operated at proper luterf vals, and the valve-seat projections fand jand the chamber F', substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day ofDecember, A. D. 1887.

EMIL TYDEN.

Vitnesses:

CHAs. L. BARTLETT, C. W. DAVENPORT.

